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Homeschooling Schedules: Create the Perfect Schedule for Your Homeschool Family

Homeschooling schedules are as numerous as the sand on a beach. They vary from family to family because each family is different.

My family actually has two homeschooling schedules – one for the older children and one for the younger children.

The schedules my family uses may not work with you and your children. But I offer some helpful tips to aid you in creating the best homeschool schedule for your family, one to increase your time, free you from guilt and accomplish your goals!

The best homeschooling schedules:

Take in consideration your family dynamics.

Getting up at the crack of dawn may not be your thing. You may have younger children or a baby that keeps you up at night and getting up before the sun rises may not be possible. Do not feel guilty.

Besides having two homeschooling teens, I have two younger children as well – one is a baby. Getting up for nightly feedings affected what time I awoke in the morning. Sometimes I woke up early, sometimes late.

Because my homeschooling children are older and I have worked with them to become independent learners, they can (most often) keep their own schedule. Their day is not really affected by what time their mother gets up, dressed and ready for the day.

If your children are younger and can not do their lessons by themselves, then there really is nothing for you to worry about. Homeschooling allows you to school your kids according to your schedule.

There are many hours during the day, once you get up and are ready to give your attention to school. You can quickly cover a lot of educational ground once everyone is ready to start school.

Once you have created a schedule for your family, adjust it often to ensure it benefits your family’s needs and current situation.
If life is running along smoothly and your schedule is working for you… i.e., you are getting the important things accomplished and your household is running smoothly, don’t change anything.

The best homeschooling schedules:

Are realistic.

Scheduling too much will discourage anyone and will lead to homeschool burnout. Be realistic when planning your homeschool day. Consistency is most important. Once you create a schedule for your family, work to become more diligent at staying on schedule.

Start by setting a starting and ending time for lessons. Schedule in time for lunch, play time, and breaks for both you and your child. If you are toiling away endlessly at math with no end in sight, it makes for a tedious day.

Plan the most rigorous work when your child is at their freshest. It may not be first thing in the morning, but it definitely won’t be at the end of the day. Mid-morning is a good place to start. Just be aware of your child and his or her moods. When they seem to be really paying attention, start the math or English lesson then.

We like to start with our bible lesson first thing in the morning. It helps us begin the day in the right frame of mind, and encourages us to remember our purpose for living and learning.

Next I have my children do their math lessons. It is always easiest to do math when you are most alert, so this is a requirement in our home. Math is also not my girls’ favorite subject so they are learning to not procrastinate and tackle their least favorite projects first.

Hands-on projects are good to do in the afternoon. After spending time learning fractions and adverbs, art projects or science experiments are a fun way to help your child relax and de-stress.

Allot time for each individual subject or just generalize time slots. For example, have academics in morning and projects after lunch.

The reality is that kids like schedules. Kids feel safe and more in control with schedules. When your child knows what to expect, he or she can better prepare for what’s in store without wondering what comes next.

The best homeschooling schedules:

Relieve guilt from comparison.

It is so easy to compare ourselves to other people. We all want to be the best mom – or the proverbs 31 woman overnight!

The real reason to having homeschooling schedules is to help your family accomplish your goals and make the most of your day. Your schedule will help you to stop comparing yourself to other homeschooling families, because with a little planning, you too will be working efficiently and completing tasks.

Do not compare yourself to other homeschooling families; it leads only to dissatisfaction and guilt. Instead, learn what they are doing to gain ideas that may work in your family. Filter out the ones that don’t work and implement the ones that do.

Commit to prayer, asking God to shed light on the areas he wants you to focus on and the tasks he want you to accomplish during your day.

In his heart a man (woman) plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

More Homeschool Scheduling Tips!

Find more guidelines to help you create the perfect homeschool schedule for your homeschool family!